EDITOR'S NOTE: New mother Sonya Thorne of Truro is the newest member of the Truro Daily News' expanding stable of columnists from Colchester County. We hope you enjoy her regular contributions as she journeys through the joys and trials of motherhood.
When I was born, I became someone's daughter and sister. I learned how to be a friend and chose to become a wife. A pregnancy test with a positive sign told me loud and clear that I was going to be a mother.
My pregnancy was not unexpected. It was just surprising because the moment my husband and I entertained the idea, I got pregnant. My husband and I were both born and raised in St. John's, N.L. Three-and-a-half years ago we moved to Truro and I went from being 100 per cent townie to a small-town girl.
As the wife of an RCMP officer, I am committed to a life of change. Since moving to Truro, we have gotten married and bought a house. It only seemed fitting to start a family. I was so excited about the idea of being a mother, just not so much at the idea of being pregnant (and giving birth).
I grew up in a family of six, so I couldn't imagine not having a family of my own. It just took many years for my maternal instincts to kick into high gear. Up until a few years ago, the idea of growing another human being inside my body seemed unnatural to me. I didn't even want to hold other people's babies (for fear of dropping them) and I most certainly did not want to touch a pregnant belly in hopes of being kicked.
Hearing a heartbeat coming from my belly and being kicked from the inside out changed me. It quickly became the best sound and feeling I would ever experience in my life.
However, I still had to deal with the idea of the baby exiting my body. There didn't seem to be anything magical about that. Magical it was not, but there was nothing more motivating than the anticipation of meeting our son. Nothing else seemed to matter. Not even the pain, that contrary to what other woman say, you do not forget. Ever.
My son, Aiden, is now a year old. It is an amazing and powerful thing to love someone else so much. It is a life-changing love. Something that you can never truly be prepared for. Read all the books you want, talk to all the parents you know, but nothing can prepare you for all the changes that accompany becoming a mommy.
I was always told to sleep when the baby sleeps. Well, how about cry when the baby cries? Sometimes, especially at night, it seems like the only thing you can do.
In the early months, when I was physically and mentally exhausted and every fibre of my being was tested, I remember thinking ‘what did I get myself into?' I missed the simplicity of my old life. Days when I could get a shower whenever I wanted, and my hair and teeth were always brushed.
I used to carry a purse. Now I carry the children's section of Wal-Mart on my back, with my baby in my arms. No one told me that I would turn into superwoman the day I gave birth.
Is being a mother easy? No, it is not. But it doesn't make me, or anyone else, a bad mother to admit that. We all have good days and bad. As a new mommy, I want to share my experiences, the smiles and the tears. Follow me on this rewarding journey called motherhood as I discuss all things mommy.
Sonya Thorne is a first-time mom of a one-year-old boy. Originally from St. John's, N.L., she now lives in Truro with her husband and son. Her column will appear monthly in the Truro Daily News.
